Parakaleo

Parakaleo is one of the oldest and richest words in the Greek language. The compound—para, “alongside,” and kaleo, “to call,” conjured up at least five vivid pictures to the Greeks. It was used to mean:

To rekindle a flame. Parakaleo pictured someone gently, patiently blowing on dying embers to bring a fire to life again.

To call forth comfort.Parakaleo pictured the cries of a frightened child in the night calling for the comfort and reassurance of his father.

To call a physician. Parakaleo pictured someone who was injured calling for a physician to set his broken bone or bind his wound.

To stabilize the troops.Parakaleo pictured the military officer who, in the heat of battle, could calmly encourage, exhort, and steady the frightened soldiers in his ranks.

To plead one’s case. Parakaleo pictured the counsel for the defense, making an appeal for his client before a judge.

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would be the Parakletos—the Encourager, the Helper, the Consoler, the Comforter—who would take His place. All the things that Jesus was to the disciples, the Holy Spirit would be, when Jesus was gone. The Spirit would do in the disciples what the Lord in the flesh could only do for them.